Tag: CBD

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Village of Ridgewood Council Reaffirms its Agreement to 4 comprehensive, independent impact studies on the high density housing

Village Council
file photo by Boyd Loving
December 10,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Last night was a huge success for residents in that village , the Village council committed to doing the four studies on the high density issue. Without the pressure from residents, this would not have happened. The meeting went late and there were no big outbursts or excitement.

Village council agreed to 4 comprehensive, independent impact studies regarding the high density housing .The 4 comprehensive independent impact studies are financial, school, traffic, infrastructure.

Mayor Aronsohn made it clear from the git-go that all four studies would happen.  Deputy Mayor Pucciarelli switched sides like a Gemini – while he was completely opposed to the four studies in September 30, now he is in full support.  This is all good, and will delay the high density housing for awhile longer.  The hearings on the housing ordinances are continued until February 10.  In spite of Aronsohn’s early declaration that the four studies would happen, public comments went on for about 2.5 hours, with 20 people speaking against the housing and often tying it in with not wanting the garage.  Seven others had spoken against the housing in the first 1/2 hour comments session.

Also the Village Council Public Meeting was the introduction of the Bond Ordinance supports the largest garage as depicted in the images and  as decided on by council majority (3-2). The garage details include parking for  405 cars (net gain of 305) totaling  136,550 square feet, height of  49’2” to the parapet and  the tower height at 68’4”. The garage requires the elimination of all on-street parking along Hudson Street, elimination of some on- street parking along South Broad Street and the rerouting of Hudson and Passaic Street traffic.

The introduction of the bond for the garage was 5-0 in favor.  This, mind you, is just the introduction. There is a pretty good indication that Susan and Mike will vote it down then, forcing Atilla the Aronsohn to head straight to the county to float the bond.  We shall see.

The public hearing and vote on the Bond Ordinance is scheduled to occur in January 2016.  In the meantime,  Council Woman Knudsen is seeking public input regarding the proposed Hudson Street garage as shown in the simulations [email protected] .

At the bitter end, From 12:02 until almost 1AM, the Schedler people spoke, 9 of them.  They asked for studies to be done around Schedler as they are being done in the CBD.  They want traffic studies, air quality, noise, etc.  one guy had an audio tape that he played of the deafening noise there from 17.  A cardiologist explained the serious health risks to children who exercise in polluted air.  There was a funny exchange where Gwenn attempted to undermine the doctor’s assertions of respiratory risks when running around in bad air, and she even suggested that maybe no one should even live over there.

Other Highlights for Last night:

ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION
3515 – Bond Ordinance – Construction of Hudson Street Parking Deck ($12,300,000) – Appropriates this money for the construction of the Hudson Street parking deck

ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING
3509 – Amend Various Salary Ordinances
3512 – Amend Valet Parking Ordinance
3513 – Non-Union Salary Ordinance
3514 – Management Salary Ordinance

ORDINANCES – CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING
3489 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish AH-2 Zone District
3490 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish B-3-R Zone District
3491 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish C-R Zone
3492 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish C Zone District
3493 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Amend Various Sections – Multiple Zone Districts and General Affordable Housing Regulation

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Distracted Walkers Pose Threat to Self and Others

Pedestrian3 Struck South Maple theridgewoodblog.net

file photo by Boyd Loving one of many pedestrian accidents in the Village

By JANE E. BRODY DECEMBER 7, 2015 5:45 AM

While distracted driving has commanded lots of attention (albeit not a commensurate amount of correction), another digital hazard — distracted walking — is on the rise, with sometimes disastrous consequences.

We’ve all seen it, and often felt it, as people looking down to text, tweet, read or play games on their smartphones crash into us, typically as we walk in a straight line and they don’t. A study by Eric M. Lamberg and Lisa M. Muratori at Stony Brook University found that distracted walkers veer off course by as much as 61 percent while texting and walking.

When about to collide with a distracted walker, I used to politely say, “Excuse me,” to get the person’s attention. But I’ve become so annoyed by this behavior that I now harshly proclaim, “Watch where you’re going!” My friends of a certain age are frankly scared that they will be knocked down and injured by a distracted walker.

Distracted walking is most common among millennials aged 18 to 34, but women 55 and older are most likely to suffer serious injuries, including broken bones, according to a 2013 study in Accident Analysis & Prevention. Visits to emergency rooms for injuries involving distracted pedestrians on cellphones more than doubled between 2004 and 2010 and continues to grow. Among more than 1,000 people hospitalized after texting while walking, injuries included a shattered pelvis and injuries to the back, head and neck.

 

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/12/07/its-not-just-drivers-being-driven-to-distraction/

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Ridgewood continues process to update master plan

clock_cbd_theridgewoodblog

DECEMBER 7, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2015, 11:11 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Planning Board members continued their review of the village master plan at last Tuesday night’s meeting, focusing much of the discussion on the housing element of the plan.

As part of his presentation, Village Planner Blais Brancheau explained the review process, noting that the state mandates that municipalities update their master plans at least once every decade.

“State law requires that planning boards, at least every 10 years, require a re-examination of the master plan of the village,” he said. “The purpose is to make sure that those documents are still current and not dated.”

However, he said that the plan should be updated more often than what is required.

Brancheau also went through Ridgewood’s master plan, explaining a few changes he recommended to the board.

“The purpose of the re-exam is not to identify every possible solution to the direction that we would like to pursue, but to identify what we can in the time that we have,” he said. “This doesn’t preclude identifying additional changes or issues when the re-exam is finished.”

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/town-government/planners-continue-re-exam-process-1.1469121

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Santa will be Checking his list this Saturday in Van Neste Square in Ridgewood

Santa Clause Ridgewood PD and FD
photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
Santa will be Checking his list this Saturday in Van Neste Square in Ridgewood
December 7,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police and Firefighters escorted Santa who arrived on a firetruck last Saturday at Columbia Bank on South Broad Street.

Santa will host a breakfast at the Office Bar and Grill 32 Chestnut St, 8:30 am at Ridgewood, NJ 07450 call for reservations 201-652-1070. YWCA Bergen County will be participating.

Santa will be in the Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, E Ridgewood Ave and Oak Street, Saturday, December 12, 2015 from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

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Ridgewood Mayor Tries to Walk back his Commitment to 4 comprehensive, independent impact studies regarding the high density housing

Village Council
file photo by Boyd Loving
December 7,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Mayor Aronsohn moves to recommend that we push back our consideration of the 5 housing amendments until February .

It is well documented that the Village council agreed to 4 comprehensive, independent impact studies regarding the high density housing .The hundreds of residents were present on September 30th and the thousands watching at home remember very clearly the council voting in favor of doing 4 comprehensive independent impact studies (financial, school, traffic, infrastructure). While Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli voted against the new impact studies ,Gwenn Hauck, Susan Knudsen ,Michael Sedon and the Mayor Paul Aronsohn all agreed to do the 4 comprehensive studies.

Other issues based on the September 30th meeting is the residents understanding that these 4 comprehensive studies:
1) will not be based on any previously done studies.
2) will include the 4 multifamily developments, the Hudson street Garage and the North Walnut Street redevelopment zone.
3) will be handled  by a single independent firm outside of the village’s jurisdiction.

The Mayor has since been walking back the vote and currently seems to feel he voted for 1 impact study with the possibility of the others or to study the idea of studies.Residents have become alarmed as to whether the Mayor and the Village council are committed to doing what he voted for on September 30th.

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Village Council Meeting December 9th at 8pm

Ridgewood

VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD  VILLAGE COUNCIL

REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING

 DECEMBER 9, 20 8:00 P.M.

 

  1. Call to Order – Mayor

 

  1. Statement of Compliance with the Open PublicMeetings Act

 

  1. Roll Call – Village Clerk

 

  1. Flag Salute and Moment of Silence

 

  1. Acceptance of Financial Reports

 

  1. Approval of Minutes

 

  1. Proclamations

 

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over – 2015 Year End Holiday Statewide Crackdown

 

  1. Presentation – Update – Lead in Drinking Water – David Scheibner, Ridgewood Water

 

  1. Comments from the Public (Not to exceed 5minutes per person – 30 minutes in total)

 

  1. Manager’s Report

 

  1. Village Council Reports

 

  1. ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION

 

3515 – Bond Ordinance – Hudson Street Parking Deck          ($12,300,000)

3516 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic –                Establish Stop Signs – California                       Street/Fairmount Road and Highland                  Avenue/Gardner Road

3517 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic –               Parking Restrictions – Hillcrest Road

3518 – Water Bond Ordinance – Rehabilitation of Water           Tanks ($1,312,500)

 

  1. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING

 

3509 – Amend Various Salary Ordinances

 

3510 – Amend Chapter 105 – Animals – Cats – Establish a     3-Year Cat License

3511 – Amend Chapter 145 Fees – Fees for 3-Year Cat         License

3512 – Amend Valet Parking Ordinance

3513 – Non-Union Salary Ordinance

3514 – Management Salary Ordinance

 

  1. ORDINANCES – CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING

 

3489 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development –           Establish AH-2 Zone District

3490 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development       – Establish B-3-R Zone District

3491 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development       – Establish C-R Zone

3492 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development       – Establish C Zone District

3493 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development       – Amend Various Sections – Multiple Zone Districts      and General Affordable Housing Regulation

 

  1. RESOLUTIONS

 

15-  Approve Village Cash Management Plan

15-  Designate Official Newspapers for 2016

15-  2016 Annual Meetings Statement

15-  Establish Interest Rate for Non-Payment of           Taxes, Assessments or Other Municipal Liens            for 2016 and Set Grace Period

15-  Establish Interest Rates for Delinquent                   Payments to the Water Utility for 2016 and             Set Grace Period for Payment of Water Utility      Bills

15-  Establish Interest Rates for Delinquent                   Payments for Significant Sewer Discharge           Bills for     2016

15-  Approve Budget Transfers

15-       Approve 2016 Temporary Budget

15-  Title 59 Approval – Servicing and Repair of     Electric Source

15-  Award Contract – Servicing and Repair of Electric    Source

15-  Title 59 Approval – Furnishing and Delivering   Sludge Dewatering Polymer

15-  Award Contract – Furnishing and Delivering Sludge    Dewatering Polymer

15-  Title 59 Approval – De-Silting and De-Snagging of         Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and Saddle River

15-  Award Contract – De-Silting and De-Snagging of

     Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and Saddle River

15-  Title 59 Approval – Laboratory Analysis Services –   Ridgewood Water

15-  Award Contract – Laboratory Analysis Services –      Ridgewood Water

15-  Title 59 Approval – Dewatered Sewer Sludge Hauling   Services

15-  Award Contract – Dewatered Sewer Sludge Hauling      Services

15-  Award Contract – Financial Computer Software

15-  Award Contract – Preparation of 2016 Village         Council Meeting Minutes

15-  Award Contract – Valley      Hospital, Department         of Community Health – Public Health and            Nursing Services

15-  Award Extraordinary Unspecifiable Services Contract – Field Investigation Study and Purchase of Replacement Parts for Non-Potable Water System – Water Pollution Control Facility

15-  Authorize Shared Services Agreement –                Municipal Court Teleconferencing (Northwest           Bergen Shared Services)

15-  Authorize Shared Services Agreement – Health    Officer Services (Fair Lawn)

15-  Authorize Amendment to Contract – Pipe,    Appurtenances and Materials for Water Distribution Maintenance

15-  Authorize Change Order – Cleaning of Concrete   Water Storage Tanks

15-  Approve Cancellation of Grant Balances – 2012 Fire   Safer Grant

15-  Accept Ridgewood Water Annual Maintenance            Fee –

15-  Revise Special Service Charge for     Voluminous/Extraordinary OPRA Requests

15-  Authorize Execution of Forestry Grant

15-  Appoint Clean Communities Coordinator

15-  Appoint Joint Insurance Fund Commissioner      

15-  Appoint Public Agency Compliance Officer             (P.A.C.O)

15-  Appoint Risk Management Consultants

15-  Appoint Members to Community Relations                    Advisory Board

15-  Appoint Members to Project Pride Committee

 

  1. Comments from the Public (Not to Exceed 5 minutes per person)

 

  1. Resolution to go into Closed Session

 

  1. Closed Session

 

  1. Adjournment

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Why not offer developers in Ridgewood incentives to provide public parking?

Parking Garage

December 5,2015
Boyd A. Loving

Ridgewood NJ , Here’s a question for those so eager to sink millions of taxpayer dollars into the construction of a massive parking garage in Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD):

Why not offer any developer who would like to build luxury (not high density) housing in the CBD, an incentive of some sort if public parking is included as a component of their project?

If the need for public parking is as bad as those promoting the construction of a taxpayer funded garage say it is, wouldn’t it make sense to have each developer offer public parking in their respective buildings?  Especially any developer(s) who want to build near the train station and/or concentration of restaurants along Oak and Chestnut Streets?

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Ridgewood Council members review parking garage design options

Village Council

file photo Boyd Loving

DECEMBER 4, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The Ridgewood Council this week weighed in on a proposed parking garage to be built at the existing Hudson Street lot, and each member offered reasons why they supported one of the three options over the others.

Three members of the council supported option A, a notion that most of the public commenters agreed with, while the other two were in favor of option C.

Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck, who was in favor of the largest-sized and most-expensive option available (option A), explained that her decision was based upon three different factors: finances, aesthetics and intangibles.

“Economically, if you bought into the idea of the garage at all, option A is the one that makes sense; that provides the service that everyone has been clamoring for,” she said, noting that while the first two levels of the garage will cost $10 million to build, the next two will only cost a total of $2 million, allowing the village to save some money while meeting greater demand.

Hauck also explained that current interest rates are favorable, and that taking advantage of a 3 percent rate is the smart thing to do. A bigger garage, she said, means more rentable spots, which will allow the town to pay off the garage faster.

Addressing aesthetics, Hauck said she wanted the garage to be “an experience.”

“I think any substantial detailing that we can have to improve the look and strengthen it, we should have,” she said.

In terms of intangibles, Hauck explained that any large project involves a lot of risk, but that the risk is necessary for the reward.

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/town-government/council-reviews-design-options-1.1467285

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Rebuttal to: “Planned garage a plus for Ridgewood”

parking

December 4,2015

Boyd A. Loving

Editor, The Ridgewood Blog:

Re:  “Planned garage a plus for Ridgewood,” The Ridgewood Blog, November 29.

Mr. Don Delzio’s letter fails to state the obvious; the reason there has been no progress for decades on the construction of a parking garage in downtown Ridgewood is the repeated inability to cost justify such a project.  And the current plan to fund a new garage by significantly increasing metered parking rates and extending the times during which municipally provided parking must be paid for, has not yet been fully vetted.  This leaves a very strong possibility that Ridgewood’s predominantly residential taxpayer base could wind up footing the bill for a project that would do absolutely nothing to increase residential property values.

With regard to a controversial “anonymous mailer” that opposed construction of the garage, Mr. Delzio failed to mention that the hundreds of lawn signs and flyers promoting construction of the garage, displayed at publicly and privately owned properties throughout Ridgewood, were also anonymous in that no sponsoring individual, organization, nor business name was printed on any of them.  Only after Election Day was it revealed that those printed materials were paid for by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce.  And despite Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn’s claim that “no one was willing to take responsibility for the mailer . . . ,” at least one (1) individual who contributed to its production and distribution has come forward publicly on two (2) separate occasions.

Finally, Mr. Delzio’s suggestion that no member of the Village Council should consider voting anything but yes to bond a parking garage because there was “overwhelming voter support for the project,” implies that there is no room in Ridgewood for dissenting opinions.  I say let those who we elected base their decisions on the facts and data at hand and not be swayed by opinions from voters, some of whom may have been misinformed, or who voted based on perceptions, not facts.

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Village of Ridgewood’s own photo simulations look a lot like the ones on the “anonymous mailer”

village parking flyies

December 4,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Don’t these photo simulations look a lot like the ones on the “anonymous mailer” Mr. Aronsohn can’t seem to shut up about?

More, and more importantly:

During the Wednesday evening, December 2nd Ridgewood Village Council Work Session, Mayor Paul Aronsohn vowed that the parking deck (garage) will be built, even in the absence of a 4 vote “super majority” vote of the Village Council, which would be required to bond the debt service.

WP 20151202 22 44 50 Pro

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli revealed that “they” have already discussed an alternate (and completely legal) plan of having the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA)  issue bonds for the project if the 4 vote “super majority” isn’t obtained.

At a minimum, this would add an additional $750k in BCIA fees to the project, plus an as yet to be determined interest fee each year for 30 years.

The staff of The Ridgewood Blog will attempt to keep you fully abreast of developments along this front, although we are sure a person or persons at Village Hall will do everything in their power to keep information away from us.

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USA retail stores sales plummet. We just need more parking, everywhere!!!

parking cbd

 Retail Store Sales Fell 10% Thanksgiving Weekend as Online Gains

Lauren Coleman-Lochner LaurenLochner
December 1, 2015

U.S. holiday shoppers spent more of their time last weekend online and less in line.

Consumer spending at brick-and-mortar retail locations in the U.S. fell 10 percent to $20.4 billion over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, according to ShopperTrak. The Chicago-based research firm gathers sales and traffic data from receipt information and devices in stores.

Retailers cut back on Thanksgiving hours, rolled out discounts earlier this year and ran more of their bargains online, putting less pressure on consumers to rush out for discounts after their turkey dinners or the next morning. The strategies also contributed to a 26 percent increase in online sales over the weekend, according to International Business Machines Corp. But even after the brick-and-mortar drop, ShopperTrak maintained its forecast that those sales will rise 2.4 percent this holiday season.

“The success of the holiday season doesn’t hinge on the performance of a single day,” said Bill Martin, ShopperTrak’s founder. “Seven out of the top ten sales days still remain, and December is anticipated to be strong.”

ShopperTrak’s forecast for the holiday season is weaker than that of the National Retail Federation, which has predicted a 3.7 percent sales gain for November and December.

Spending Less

The shoppers that did hit the mall last weekend may have kept a lid on spending. About half of Americans shopped on Black Friday this year, similar to last year, the International Council of Shopping Centers said Tuesday. But 55 percent said they spent the same or less than last year, according to a survey of 1,016 adults the trade group commissioned from Opinion Research Corp.

Janeen Price, who was shopping with her daughter in Greensboro, North Carolina, over the weekend, said she was a more serious Black Friday bargain-hunter in previous years. Now, her kids are grown up and she doesn’t feel the need to butt heads with other shoppers, said Price, 50.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-01/retailers-store-sales-fell-10-last-weekend-shoppertrak-says

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Ridgewood seeks public input on downtown parking-deck options

Hudson Garage

NOVEMBER 30, 2015, 5:47 PM    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015, 5:47 PM

BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — Local officials will ask for public comment Wednesday night regarding the size and scope of the proposed Hudson Street parking garage, the construction of which is expected to ease longstanding parking concerns in the village’s crowded downtown.

Mayor Paul Aronsohn said the 7:30 p.m. meeting will feature a presentation by parking deck designer Desman Design Management and give residents a chance to provide opinions on the structure’s height, square-footage, and car capacity. Aronsohn intends to hold an informal council vote that night and introduce a bond ordinance on Dec. 9 to fund construction.

Voters endorsed the garage by nearly a 2-to-1 majority in a non-binding referendum last month. That referendum’s wording said the garage was anticipated to provide a net increase of about 300 spaces without having a “negative impact” on property taxes because parking revenues would be used to pay off the construction debt.

According to documents on the village website, three parking decks of varying sizes have been proposed.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-seeks-public-input-on-downtown-parking-deck-options-1.1464964

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Ridgewood Planning Board meeting tonight at 7:55

clock_cbd_theridgewoodblog

December 1,2015
Ridgewood the staff of the Ridgewood blog

NJ, Planning Board Meeting  tonight 7:55 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. – Continued discussion of the reexamination of the Master Plan and development regulations – Residential Land Use.

Our Master Plan has not had a thorough re-examination in 30 years. According to our Village Planner, Blais Brancheau, 90% of the language needs to be re-written. This is a huge undertaking for our planning board. Please attend.

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Ridgewood Residents will have an opportunity to chime in on the parking garage design on December 2nd

parking garage cbd

Hudson Street Parking Deck – Message from the Village Manager

Click Here

Ridgewood NJ, According to Village Hall residents will have an opportunity to chime in on the parking garage design on December 2nd.  The three designs presented included the original structure, as depicted on Villlage of Ridgewood (VOR) site,  with 405 spaces (130,000sq ft), a modified version with 355 stalls (120,000sq ft) and the lowest profile version with 305 stalls (109,000 sq ft). The cost per stall decreases for each added level:

405 stalls @ $28,000 = 11.5 mil

355 stalls @ $29,300 = 10.4 mil

305 stalls @ $31,000 = 9.5 mil

You can see the higher you go the more efficient the project becomes IF, of course,  those spaces  are utilized.
As far as the design, it is exactly as shown at the informal meetings. The 355 version indicates a  lower profile along Hudson St but  retains the same height along Broad. The 305 version includes

the lower profile on both Broad and Hudson. For some reason I didn’t include the heights in my notes  but will ask Roberta for those details. Each version includes cantilevering over the entire Hudson St sidewalk with an additional 20″ cantilever extending over the street. The cantilevers were depicted in the original design and, I believe cannot be eliminated due to the lot width.

Also Mayor Aronsohn sent an email (personal email) to residents regarding the three garage designs and process moving forward.  His letter indicates surprise ,surprise higher cost for each version likely based on factoring in  the original  $500,000 bond.

Please share your thoughts and questions with us regarding the deck so that your feedback can be considered by the Council as they deliberate on this important issue at the December 2nd Council Meeting……please also consider coming to that meeting to share your opinions. You can email me at [email protected] or call 201-670-5500, ext. 203.

 

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Valet Parking Exacerbating Parking Problems in Ridgewood’s Central Business District

parking signs cbd2
November 30,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Sources in the central business district continue to voice concerns that the Valet Parking is exacerbating the very parking problem it is attempting to alleviate .While Roots Steakhouse was already offering valet parking 4 additional Ridgewood restaurants have joined forces to offer valet parking to their customers.

The is issue is most acute on Oak Street were Fish Urban Dining, It’s Greek To Me and Roots have virtually monopolized most of the spaces near Ridgewood Avenue ,leaving little room for customers of retailers such as Luck Brands  any available spaces to park.

Retailers have for years complained of parking access for their customers , the Ridgewood blog reported earlier this year that as early as 9am spots on Oak Street are full and now most retails report that after 430 ,because of the valet parking they can just go home .